Dots on windshield?

Can someone please clarify what these are?

 

They block sunlight while looking into your rearview mirror. Like a sun visor for your mirror. At least that's what I always thought.

 

They call it a third visor. it is to block the sun between the two movable visors.

 

Interesting. I had thought maybe it was part of the defrost because it surrounds the entire windshield on the boarder.

 

The frit is a black enamel band that is literally baked into the edges of the windshield glass, accompanied by the border of black dots you are wondering about. The purpose of the frit is to provide an etched surface that allows adhesive to bond to the glass. When a manufacturer installs a new windshield, or an auto glass specialist like DeDona Auto Glass replaces your windshield, the glass is bonded to the vehicle with the frit as the contact point between the glass and the frame.

There is a dual purpose here, though. While the inward facing side of the frit allows adhesive to bond to the glass, the outward facing side of the frit acts as a shield against UV radiation in order to protect the adhesive bond, which would otherwise be weakened by continual exposure to direct sunlight.

Cosmetically, the frit also nicely conceals the adhesive used to install the windshield and provides a more “polished” appearance. The dissolving/shrinking effect of the black dots provides a more visually appealing transition from the black border of the frit to the transparent glass, and also provides a small amount of heat dissipation. The dots do provide some level of sun shade as well.

Some manufacturers use this to the occupants’ advantage by expanding the dot pattern downward between sun visors to create a kind of “third visor”, which helps to reduce glare from sunlight that the driver and passenger visors can’t block. Some car makers even take it a step further and use small logos or other unique designs in place of the traditional circular dots.

Credit:

http://www.dedona.com/the-purpose-of-the-frit-black-band-and-spots-on-windshield/

 

Thanks Wynnded

 

Thanks, good to know.

 

I learned as well.

 

^Wondering would if I attached a radar using 3M tape would the black dots be removed if I take the radar off in the future? Don't want to put it there if its going to mess with the black dots.

 

Unlikely, but I suppose that it would depend upon how aggressive the tape was, I know that 3M can make some pretty gnarly tape. There may be the option to use a suction cup type mount as well.

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

Never knew those dots were called "frit", thanks for posting that.